Aluminum electric wires having a conductor made of an aluminum-based material have conventionally been used in the field of electric power industry providing overhead power lines, as being reduced in weight and excellent in electric conductivity. Aluminum alloys have been increasingly used in conductors of aluminum electric wires, the majority of which are Al—Fe alloys, to improve strength and bending resistance.
As the materials for those wires, Triple-E manufactured by Southwire Company, SI-16 manufactured by Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., and the 8030 alloy according to The International Alloy Designation System (Al-0.3 to 0.8 Fe-0.05 to 0.15 Cu) are known for example.
Whereas in the automotive field, copper wires having a conductor made of a copper-based material with excellent electric conductivity are widely used as signal lines and electric power lines.
In the automotive field, the recent rapid advancement in the performance and functions of automobiles has increased the number of various electronic devices and control devices used in automobiles, which has accordingly increased the number of wires used therein. Consequently, attempts have been made to use aluminum electric wires having a conductor made of an aluminum material in order to reduce weight.
For example, Laid-Open Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-19163 discloses an aluminum conductor that is a strand prepared by bunching aluminum alloy elemental wires containing 1.10-1.50 mass % Fe, 0.03-0.25% mass % Mg, 0.02-0.06 mass % Si, and the balance being Al and incidental impurities.